


Verisimilitude

by nickofhearts



Series: let's watch this city burn [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Dubious Consent, Kissing, M/M, Reverse Truth Spell, The Bad Ending, True Love's Kiss, Truth Spells
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-19 19:12:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9456788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickofhearts/pseuds/nickofhearts
Summary: Noctis gets hit with an unusual status effect.





	1. the woods are lovely, dark and deep

It was a daemon they'd never seen before, feminine in form with glimmering wings and a laugh that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up with how unearthly beautiful it was. She blew a kiss at Noct, fluttering long lashes, her pale skin gleaming like crystal in the moonlight, and then her face changed. It became terrible, twisted with black lines that spiderwebbed over the formerly perfect skin, her mouth suddenly full of too sharp teeth that tried to tear a chunk out of him as she flew at Noct, her wings now resembling the gnarled roots of a rotting tree, dripping dark shadows.

" _Shit,_ " Noct swore, phasing out of the way just in time, though he felt wetness on his cheek where she'd still managed to swipe him across the face with long sharp claws.

He dodged around trying to get a good shot at her, but she kept darting away, his sword slashing through empty air where she'd been less than a second ago. 

"Regroup!" Ignis yelled, and Noct thought quickly, tossing a triple-cast Firaga in a wide area.

It landed exactly on point, and the daemon _screamed_ as her wings caught fire, the blaze intensifying as it consumed her entirely, her skin crackling black and peeling away. 

Noct couldn't help feeling bad watching her die, almost sorry though she'd tried to kill him.

He shook his head, catching up with the rest of the group as they headed towards the haven that had been marked on the map. It was always more unsettling to fight daemons that looked mostly human in form, much less one that had so closely resembled a beautiful woman at first sight. Noct felt a bit nauseous just thinking about it, and the cut on his cheek still burned after he'd downed a potion as well, setting him more on edge.

Prompto slapped him on the shoulder as he passed. "You okay, Noct?" 

"I'm fine," Noct answered, even though it wasn't true.

-

Ignis made a tender roast stew, something they'd had more than a dozen times, but when he asked how it was this evening, Noct answered, "it's terrible." He blinked, shocked at himself. That wasn't what he'd meant to say at all. "It's _really_ terrible," Noct tried again, feeling like shit when Ignis' face fell, though he tried to hide it behind adjusting his glasses and shifting plates around even though everyone knew Ignis never left a mess when he cooked, tidying up as he went along.

"I'll prepare something more to your taste tomorrow," Ignis said, stiff like Noct had really hurt him, and Noct wanted to tell him that wasn't necessary, but he was afraid that if opened his mouth again, he'd make it even worse.

The rest of dinner passed uneventfully, Noct chewing his food slowly so he wouldn't have to talk, looking at it glumly as he thought, this _was_ good, so why had he told Ignis that it wasn't?

Gladio caught him by the shoulder as they were getting ready to turn in. "That was a little harsh earlier, don't you think? Ignis is doing his best here."

Noct glared. "It wasn't," he said, which was _still_ not what he'd been thinking, but there was something wrong with him, because he couldn't seem to say anything that he wanted to right now. "I don't appreciate you butting in," he said, the words spilling from him like he couldn't stop them, and Noct twisted away from Gladio before he could say something even more awful, storming off to the other side of the camp where he couldn't insult all his friends before he didn't have any left.

"Whatever's wrong with you, don't take it out on Ignis," Gladio called after him, Noct biting his tongue on whatever wanted to bubble up in response to that, because it wasn't something good.

Prompto peeked out of the tent a short while later, looking surprised that Noct was sulking in front of the fire instead of in bed already. Usually he was the first one in at night, and the last one up in the mornings. "You sure you're okay, Noct? You know you can always talk to me if anything's bothering you, right?"

"I'm fine," Noct answered, even though he was annoyed and frustrated at whatever was going on, but thankful at least that he hadn't blurted out something about how he didn't trust Prompto or that he'd never go to him with his problems.

-

He spent the entire night trying to figure out what was wrong with him, trying to make himself say that dinner had been _great,_ so he could apologize to Ignis in the morning, but the more he tried, the more he said things like, "that tasted worse than the time I thought the finger bowl was soup," or, "I never want to eat anything you make again!"

Noct clenched his fists, taking deep calming breaths instead of kicking a chair into the great beyond like he really wanted to, then he realized. Everything he was saying was the exact _opposite_ of what he was thinking. 

If he was still like this in the morning, then he could at least make the guys understand, and they could figure out how to fix it together.

"Did you sleep all night like that?" Gladio asked incredulously when he got up to be met with the sight of Noct sprawled awkwardly on the chair he'd fallen uncomfortably asleep in after he'd had his earth-shattering revelation. 

It felt like only minutes had passed.

"I slept fine," Noct answered automatically, then growled in frustration and stood up. He pointed to his shirt. "My shirt is white." Then to the Regalia. "I hate the Regalia." Everyone was looking at him in utter bafflement, but Noct was starting to get into it. "I hate fishing," he continued, "I _love_ vegetables. Especially beans. I don't want to marry Luna. I think the Empire is great," he made a dismayed face at what had just come out of his mouth, but surely that was enough? " _I can't tell a lie,_ " Noct finished, waiting for the guys to get it.

Prompto's eyes went wide. "Wow, Noct! So everything you say is a lie? No wonder you were so mean to Ignis last night!"

Noct nodded enthusiastically, relieved that someone finally understood, and gave Ignis a pleading look. 

Ignis nodded back, though he was frowning again, this time in worry for Noct. "We've never had a status effect last so long, if we assume it was cast by the daemon last night."

Noct pointed to his face, where the daemon had sliced him with its claws, and it itched even more now than it had the night before. "She didn't cut me," he grumbled. "It doesn't hurt."

Gladio got up close, tilting Noct's head one way then the other as he checked it over. "It looks fine to me," he said with a shrug. "Must've been something else."

Prompto's cheeks pinked as he suddenly thought of something. "Uh, guys? Didn't she sorta," he mimed blowing a kiss at Noct, "last night? I think I even have a picture of it!"

"You're _totally useless_ ," Noct told him, as Prompto shuffled quickly through his photos and pulled up the relevant one.

They all looked at the picture, the daemon caught in a beguiling pose as if her kiss was for the one that met her gaze alone. She was as alluringly beautiful in Prompto's photo as she'd been the previous night, but Noct shivered now, knowing what lay underneath that beauty.

"Maybe you have to get another kiss to break the spell?" Prompto asked, faltering a bit when Noct shot him a dark glare. "That's how it always goes in the stories!"

Ignis made a thoughtful noise. "That may be the case, but we've never encountered that daemon before, and we can't rely on encountering it again. Did you try a remedy, Noct?"

Noct hadn't, and he pulled one out and downed it quickly. "I think it worked," he said, frowning as that revealed nothing at all. "I hate you," he said to Ignis, then groaned. 

"Right," Ignis said, giving Noct a sympathetic look. "Let's set a course for Lestallum. We can check in with the hunters there, ascertain if anyone's heard of a daemon affecting people like this. At the very least, they should have stronger remedies on hand, or it's possible the effect will have worn off by then."

Noct nodded, thankful for some direction at last. "That sounds like a shit plan," he added.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "What do you think of this picture?" Prompto asked, showing him something on the camera.
> 
> "It's great," Noct said, then clapped a hand over his mouth in horror.


	2. True Love's Kiss

Lestallum was a total bust. They scoured every inch of the city questioning each of the hunters and vendors about unusual magic effects they'd encountered, but no one had ever heard of a daemon casting a status effect that would only make someone lie. "It doesn't seem like something that'd be useful in a battle," one hunter remarked, and that _was_ true, making the whole thing even stranger.

Noct downed another remedy, told Gladio he hated him this time and dodged the punch to the shoulder, dejectedly trailing behind the group as they headed to the Leville to call it a day.

"Hey Noct!" Iris called excitedly as they neared the door, waving at him even before acknowledging Gladio.

"I'm unhappy to see that you're still alive," Noct told her completely seriously, and immediately slapped a hand to his mouth while Prompto broke out laughing, snapping a picture of Iris' shocked expression before Gladio could shove him through the door.

"Ignore him, he's been cursed," Gladio told her, shaking his head. "Let's get a room, and then we can catch up."

Noct resolutely kept silent while Ignis arranged for their lodgings, avoiding Iris' curious glances and Gladio's half-hearted glare, determined not to insult anyone else before the day was done. 

-

He threw himself down on the bed as soon as they got into the room, letting the sound of the others talking amongst themselves wash over him. He didn't feel much like joining in when everything that came out of his mouth was insulting, offensive, or just plain mean. Even if the guys understood, it wasn't something Noct wanted to make a habit of. By the time he woke up again, it was bright daylight, but Noct still didn't feel like getting out of bed. "I'm—nobody special," Noct muttered, then snorted. If only that were the case.

-

"Noct," Prompto called excitedly as he charged into the room, followed more sedately by Ignis and Gladio. "You awake? We might have something on the curse!" 

Noct immediately sat up, letting the blankets fall away as he gave the group his full attention.

"Talcott overheard our discussion of your difficulties," Ignis began. "It seems there exists a local legend about a woman whose lover betrayed her for the embrace of another, and henceforth cursed every word that passed from his lips to only be a lie. His new lover was so offended by this change that she rejected him, forcing him to beg his original paramour her favor once again. Regardless, the legend states that the only method of breaking the spell is with true love's kiss."

Noct stared at them in total disbelief. Was he still dreaming?

"It's a start," Gladio said, seeming to accept this _fairy tale_ at face value. "Who's your true love Noct?"

"If your intended is the Oracle, that presents a difficulty at present," Ignis added.

Prompto spoke up, almost gleeful. "Why don't we all try kissing Noct? It can't hurt, can it?"

Noct sighed. "What a _great_ idea, Prompto," throwing a pillow at him.

Prompto tossed the pillow back, putting his hands up to block any retaliation from Noct. "Don't be like that Noct! You never know, right? Better we find out now than after you kiss Princess Lunafreya and call her ugly to her face."

"I am _not_ going to call Luna ugly," he growled, advancing on Prompto with another pillow, murder in his expression.

Prompto eeped, ducking behind Gladio who plucked the pillow out of Noct's hands with a long-suffering look then put a hand on Noct's chest to keep him and Prompto apart. "I'll go first," he said, nodding at Noct to sit back down on the bed.

Noct scowled at them all, then closed his eyes in dire anticipation.

Gladio didn't do _anything_ by halves, it seemed, his large hand spread over Noct's collarbones and throat, a warm grounding presence as he leaned a knee on the bed and put his mouth to Noct's. Gladio was unexpectedly gentle, soft and yielding, and Noct found himself responding, reaching out a hand to tug Gladio in closer by his too-tight tank top, opening his mouth for it. He was breathless by the time Gladio pulled away, but it hadn't been the life-changing experience that Noct assumed kissing his "one true love" was meant to be.

"You're the one," Noct told him in all seriousness, then shrugged.

"Thank the Six," Gladio agreed, backing up to let Ignis take his place.

"I apologize, Noct," Ignis said, but Noct just closed his eyes again, resigned.

Ignis was firm where Gladio had been tender, almost demanding as he pressed Noct back on the bed and claimed his mouth. It was immediately obvious that neither of them were into it, the kiss taking on a kind of clinical quality where Noct found himself wondering if this was how Ignis kissed people he actually _wanted_ to kiss or if he felt like he was in direct competition with Gladio and had to put forth the same amount of effort even though there wasn't any feeling in it.

"That was great," Noct told him afterwards, wincing at how that sounded.

Ignis smirked at him. "I would agree with the assessment Noct."

Prompto was almost bouncing as he approached, looking both nervous and weirdly enthusiastic about the prospect of kissing Noct. He sincerely hoped Prompto hadn't been taking photos the whole time without any real confidence of that being the case, because Luna was going to laugh herself silly when Noct told her this story and showed her the proof to boot.

"Here goes nothing!" Prompto said, and practially threw himself at Noct.

Noct grunted, rolling with it as Prompto knocked him on his back, flipping them over so he was on top with a knee on Prompto's stomach. Since they were doing this, Noct decided to go for broke and bit his way up Prompto's neck, Prompto squirming beneath him as Noct finally reached his mouth and nipped him hard on his bottom lip. Before Prompto could sputter a protest, Noct sucked gently at the afflicted area, Prompto opening his mouth on a gasp and Noct following it up by teasing his tongue against Prompto's, keeping him down when Prompto tried to surge up and regain his momentum from the beginning.

It wasn't a _bad_ kiss by any means, certainly more fun than others Noct had had, but he didn't feel any different either.

"I hate you," Noct told him with a wry smile.

"That's uh, good?" Prompto said, craning his neck as he tried to look at where Noct had bit him to see if he'd left any marks. "Because if you were my one true love, I think I'd have to start buying scarves in bulk." 

Noct grinned, snapping a picture of Prompto in an awkward pose for once, then dancing back when Prompto tried to reclaim his camera with an outraged squawk.

"If the two of you are _quite_ done," Ignis said dryly, "perhaps some dinner is in order?"

Noct nodded, hanging the camera around his own neck as Prompto pouted at him, and they all headed down to grab something to eat at one of the multitude of restaurants and cafes they'd perused in their quest to cure Noct's affliction.

-

"Oh, hey guys!" Iris greeted them in the lobby. She gave them an amused look as she took in Prompto's neck and the way Noct was glowering again, mouth clamped shut on any comments that might want to make themselves known. "No luck?"

"The prince is as picky as he is ornery," Gladio told her, messing up Noct's hair and blocking the subsequent elbow to his ribs.

She smiled, eyes twinkling. "Can I try?"

Noct shot Gladio a look. "I'm not at all uncomfortable with this," he said.

Gladio only rolled his eyes in response. "Just give her a quick peck on the lips Noct. That should do it if she's your one and truly."

Iris had her hands clasped behind her back, leaning up on her tiptoes as Noct pressed the _chastest_ of kisses to her lips before stepping back as quickly as he could, almost tripping himself in his haste.

"I love you," Noct said, feeling deeply relieved at the lie this time.

Iris went red, then seemed to compose herself. "Oh, right. That's too bad, Noct! I'm sure Gladdy would've loved to have you as a brother-in-law!"

Noct gave her a weak smile. 

"I'm...going to throw myself off a cliff," he said before darting out the hotel doors. He just needed a walk to clear his head, and he didn't want to be around anyone he'd have to watch what he said. It was getting stressful to a worrying degree, especially as everything they attempted seemed only to make the prospect of a cure more and more unlikely.

Noct _couldn't_ live like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOCT: HELP ME COR  
> COR: *GIVES MAGICAL FLASKS* ...THERE. PROBLEM SOLVED.  
> NOCT: YOU'RE THE BEST COR  
> NOCT: I LOVE YOU COR  
> NOCT: MARRY ME COR  
> NOCT: *THROWS FLASKS AT HIM*


	3. when the devil is resting his head on your door

Noct wandered aimlessly through town, keeping well away from the crowds of people to avoid getting asked any questions and having to either run away before he blurted out something completely rude and offending them that way, or just let it happen and be known as the asshole who went around insulting everyone. He eventually ended up at the viewing area for the Disc of Cauthess, weirdly empty for this time of day, but Noct would take it. 

If he were Prompto, he would probably be snapping a hundred photos of the way the light of the setting sun emphasized the burnished reds and golds of the meteor, backlit by the sky, but Noct just it wash over him.

It was strange to think now that there had been a time when he'd run away from his duties at the Citadel, dragging Ignis with him as he tried to escape from all the pressures of being a prince, wanting nothing more than to be anyone else for a short moment. These days, all he seemed to be doing _was_ running, whether away from the Imperial units that kept finding them, or towards the uncertain future that hung in the distance, and Luna, wherever she was now. 

No one recognized him as the prince, but Noct had never felt the title weigh on him more keenly.

"Enjoying the view?" a voice asked from his left.

"Yes," Noct answered, then sighed. He turned to whatever unfortunate soul was going to bear the burnt of his unruly tongue now, then blinked as he recognized the man. "Oh," Noct said. "It's you."

"Ardyn," the man responded, giving him a smile that was somehow both unsettling and pleasant at once, making Noct uneasy. "You've something on your cheek," he added, reaching out a hand to brush a thumb over the cut that Noct had almost forgotten about, but burned immediately at being touched, "there," and Noct jolted as he felt it run through him like a current.

Noct sucked in a startled breath, but no, it couldn't be. He bit his lip uncertainly, then decided to just go for it. "Would you—kiss me, please?"

Ardyn slanted him a look that wasn't quite surprise. "If that is your desire," he murmured, laying a hand on the side of Noct's face as he leaned in, the kiss this time like everything Noct had never imagined, a sweet aching refrain that sang through his bones, his awareness of everywhere Ardyn was touching him _too_ sensitive, and he felt it all the way to his toes when Ardyn slid his tongue against Noct's, a tidal wave of sensation that would drag him under.

Noct moaned, not realizing he had his hands clenched in the lapels of Ardyn's coat until Ardyn stepped back and Noct went with him, unwilling to let go.

Ardyn kissed him like there was nothing else in the world, pulling Noct against him, every brush of his fingers over Noct's cheek electric and every short breath between kisses like he was drowning without the touch of Ardyn's mouth pressed to his. Noct couldn't get enough, didn't think he ever would. 

If this was what true love was, then Noct would gladly give himself up to it. 

"I think I love you," Noct said after, breathless as he took in the sight of Ardyn backed against the wall, scarf in disarray where Noct had tugged it free, and the surprise was that this time it _wasn't_ a lie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nickofhearts: GOOD THING ARDYN CAN HELP HIM RIGHT  
> dreamingcicadas: ardyn fuCKS HIM OVER  
> nickofhearts: HELP IS RELATIVE


	4. The Most Dangerous Game

Noct returned to the Leville in much higher spirits than he'd left it. He'd arranged to meet with Ardyn again the following evening, barring any more unexpected surprises during the day, but for the moment, they could finally get back to preparing for the journey ahead. He felt like a great weight had been lifted, but more than that it was just _nice_ somehow, knowing that there was someone waiting to see him at the end of the day, someone who wasn't a part of all this.

"Hey Prompto," Noct said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Let's go check out the chocobos tomorrow."

Prompto gasped, like he couldn't believe it. "Wait, really? But what about—" 

"You're my best friend," Noct said. "We've known each other since high school, though you were stalking me before that, you creep," ducking back as Prompto went red and tried to cover up Noct's mouth, shouting, "it wasn't like that and you know it, _Noct!_ "

"Has the effect reached its time limit?" Ignis inquired curiously.

Noct laughed, shrugging as Prompto gave up and slung an arm over his shoulders instead, still grumbling to himself about how it wasn't stalking, it was _preparing_. "Something like that, Specs." 

He wasn't sure why he didn't want to tell the others about Ardyn, but he wanted to keep it just to himself for a little while longer.

-

Noct didn't realize until he was brushing his teeth the next morning that all was not well. The cut on his cheek had gotten even worse, black lines spreading from the wound like an infection, though it didn't hurt now, oddly enough. Noct jerked back in surprise at the sight of it, then rinsed his mouth out and bent closer towards the reflection to get a better look.

"Shit," he murmured, touching it carefully. 

"If his highness is done admiring himself in the mirror, let's get this show on the road," Gladio hustled him, appearing in the bathroom doorway.

Noct shoved at him half-heartedly, then turned to show Gladio his cheek. "Does this look weird to you?" 

Gladio gave him a blank stare. "Yes Noct, you _are_ the fairest in all the land."

Noct pushed past him with a growl, grabbing his jacket before heading out of the room. If Gladio didn't think it was anything to worry about, then it was probably nothing.

-

It seemed that getting to ride the chocobos wouldn't be as simple as buying a few rental tickets. 

Noct crouched behind Gladio, creeping through pathways in old run-down enclosures as the beast loomed over them, roaring its fury. He hadn't known the daemon problem was this bad outside the Crown City, and he wondered if it had always been like this, or if it had gotten worse in recent times. It seemed there were a _lot_ of things he didn't know, and the one silver lining about this whole trip might be that it was forcing Noct to get to know the people of Lucis on a more personal scale that he would ever have otherwise.

"Deadeye—the name says it all," Gladio informed them, closing his own eye and pointing, and Noct nodded, focusing on the task at hand.

They slowly tracked the daemon back to its lair, though there'd been a few close calls when Noct had tried to get back into cover only to slam into one of the others who'd been sticking too close behind him. "Ow, Noct!" Prompto had yelped on one occasion, and they'd all frozen in place as Deadeye roared and turned its good eye on their hiding place, but then thankfully turned away again.

Noct pinched him hard on the side, Prompto making a face at him as he kept in any recriminations this time, and Gladio looked like he wanted to knock their heads together, but had given up on the effectiveness of such actions long ago.

The beast's lair was revealed to be in the shell of an abandoned factory, Noct grinning as Ignis pointed out the explosive barrels littered on the ground. 

"Alright," Noct said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "You guys lure him close to those barrels and get out of the way. I'll light him up."

"A well-conceived plan Noct," Ignis told him, approving. "Your father would've been proud to see how far you've come." 

Noct shot him a grateful smile. The memory of his father hurt even now, but it was less like a knife to the ribs recently, and more like an old bruise, something that he could think on with fond rememberence as well as the hurt.

"Let's do this!" Prompto shouted, and they leapt into battle.

-

Five potions, three near-misses where Deadeye's claws had almost taken limbs off if Noct had been _seconds_ slower with his phasing, and the whole of his fire spells later, the beast was down. He shook his head as Prompto compared the whole endeavor to King's Knight.

"If this is King's Knight, then I've gotta be a _five_ -star character," Noct retorted, only to have Gladio cut in.

"Hell no. If anyone here's a 'rare', it's me."

They all laughed, bickering good-naturedly as they made their way back to the Wiz Chocobo Post. It'd been a hard battle, but the reward was well worth it. 

Not only had they defeated a dangerous beast that had been menacing the locals, but they were now free to call on the chocobos whenever they needed. Noct immediately went to pet them in their pens after Wiz had given them his heartfelt thanks, combing his fingers through the soft feathers at the chocobo's neck and laughing as it nudged him back on the shoulder.

"C'mon, Noct! Let's go for a ride!" Prompto called out, and Noct agreed, racing him to the tracks after they'd mounted up.

-

It had been _such_ a successful day that Noct was almost unsurprised that it ended in utter disaster.

"So what's up for tomorrow?" Prompto asked after dinner, shuffling the cards for a game while Noct considered how to make his excuses so he could slip out to meet Ardyn without rousing anyone's suspicions.

"I just want to sleep all day," Noct answered, feeling panic grip him even as everyone else laughed at the perceived jest. It hadn't been a joke, that _wasn't_ what he'd meant to say. He'd had a whole list of things he wanted to take care of that he'd gone over with Gladio in the car on the drive back, because what was the point of being the prince if they left all of Lucis in disarray behind them, and this wasn't happening, it couldn't be happening. "Be right back!" Noct yelled, running out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nickofhearts: ardyn's riddle of the sphinx is figure out how to get all his clothes off  
> dreamingcicadas: why are there so many buttons and ties  
> dreamingcicadas: ardyn were u not designed by nomura?  
> dreamingcicadas: no zippers?  
> nickofhearts: he makes up for it in buckles  
> nickofhearts: like squall's bdsm belts


	5. a thousand kisses deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when writing a nice date with ardyn is more uncomfortable than writing corpse fucking.

Ardyn was leaning up against his car, the sun just setting in the sky behind him, streaks of orange and red spilling over the horizon, when Noct approached. "Have you eaten?" he asked.

"No," Noct said, even though he'd just eaten with the others, what was _wrong_ with him.

"Perhaps you'd care to indulge me then?" Ardyn said, gesturing at Noct to take the passenger seat as he got in and started the engine. 

Noct stared at the car for a minute, the garish colour of it a match to Ardyn's hair, and there was something strangely charming about that. Ardyn was fiddling patiently with the radio as Noct made up his mind, opening the passenger side door and sliding into the seat. He wasn't really in the mood, but maybe putting all his problems aside for a short while would make for a nice change.

-

Ardyn didn't even drive them that far out, but it was enough that the city lights were a gentle glow in the distance, a suggestion of civilization rather than an obtrusive mark of it, nothing but the stars casting light on them. Noct thought about flicking on his flashlight, but he waited to see what Ardyn had planned.

"Really?" Noct asked, laughing when Ardyn pulled a picnic basket out of the trunk. 

Ardyn shrugged, passing him a blanket that Noct spread gamely on the ground. It was soft to the touch, the material worn like it'd been well-used.

"Have you ever been on a picnic, Noctis?" Ardyn asked him as he pulled a few more items out of his car, Noct sitting himself down when Ardyn motioned for him to make himself comfortable as he set candles on the ground, lighting them one by one. The whole thing was ridiculous, romantic in a way that made Noct feel like the heroine in one of the daytime television shows Prompto loved to watch but would never admit even under severe torture or the threat of death, but it was nice, that Ardyn had gone through all this effort for him. 

Noct felt warm suddenly, glad he'd agreed to the outing. 

"Yes?" he answered Ardyn's earlier question, too amused by the whole situation now to care about the lies that fell like stones from his mouth. "I mean—hasn't everyone?"

It sounded teasing to his own ears, and Noct ducked his head, feeling awkward again about the way words twisted in his mouth.

"I have not," Ardyn told him, finally sitting down across from Noct. "But I thought it would be a pleasant way to pass the evening, considering the eventful nature of your days." He reached out slowly, as if waiting for permission from Noct, and Noct held himself still as Ardyn rubbed a thumb over his cheek, presumably to brush some smear of dirt away that Noct had missed when he'd been cleaning himself up, the touch warm and tingling even after he'd pulled away.

Next, Ardyn undid the scarf from around his neck, passing it to Noct. "Would you care to indulge me in one more thing?"

Noct shrugged, curious now.

"I propose a game," Ardyn explained. "I've prepared a variety of finger foods for our enjoyment, but you're to guess what they are without the use of your sight."

 _"Oh,_ " Noct said, feeling his cheeks heat as understanding dawned. That sounded _intensely_ intimate, but Ardyn had gone to so much trouble, and Noct didn't want to disappoint him by refusing a silly game just because he was embarrassed—he tied the scarf over his eyes in place of an answer.

Ardyn chuckled, the sound of it low and strangely close when Noct couldn't tell exactly where he was.

Noct felt something against his mouth, flaky and with a buttery aroma, and he parted his lips to let Ardyn feed it to him. It was sweet and light on his tongue, melting as Noct tasted it, a strawberry pastry of some sort? "I'm not sure," Noct said. "Another?"

"Ah," Ardyn told him, tsking. "There's a punishment for wrong answers."

Before Noct could ask, Ardyn was kissing him, the taste of it sweet with the lingering traces of the dessert, and Noct gladly leaned into it, disappointed when Ardyn moved back after only a few moments.

Ardyn pressed the next morsel to his lips, some kind of fruit whose juices were sweet and tangy at once, and Noct sucked it into his mouth, chasing up the taste by licking sticky traces of it from Ardyn's fingers.

He chewed carefully, sure it was slices of a plum, but, "oh," Noct said, "I don't know," frowning as if he really couldn't guess.

Ardyn laughed, kissing him again, and Noct realized after another five rounds of the game that he hadn't even been thinking about lying or telling the truth, having too much fun pretending at bewilderment so Ardyn would kiss him, again and again until Noct was dizzy with it, wanting more.

He pushed the scarf up, peeking at Ardyn. "I think I've had enough," Noct said, "of the—" eyeing the picnic basket.

Ardyn smiled at him, touching fingertips still sweet with hints of fruit juice and sugary confections to Noct's lips. "Keep that on," he said, nodding at the scarf. 

-

Ardyn kissed his way down Noct's neck, lingering over the hollow of his throat, and Noct was only too eager to help Ardyn get his shirt off so he could continue to press kisses down between his collarbones, around his nipples, scraping his teeth over one in a way that went straight to Noct's cock. Ardyn continued trailing kisses lower over his ribs, down his belly, stopping only when he'd reached the edge of Noct's jeans.

"May I?" Ardyn murmured and Noct hesitated, unsure, but when was he going to have another evening as nice as this one, another chance to just _enjoy_ himself without having to worry about everything else?

"Yes," Noct said, deciding, and undid the zip of his jeans, kicking them and his boxers off before he could change his mind, lying down on the soft blanket and thankful for the scarf over his eyes that meant he didn't have to see how Ardyn was looking at him and be embarrassed about it.

He was surprised when Ardyn pressed soft kisses up the insides of his thighs, making him shiver with anticipation, but not as surprised as when Ardyn kept going until he was tracing his tongue over the sensitive skin of Noct's hole.

 _"Fuck,"_ Noct moaned, clenching his hands in the blanket to keep from bucking his hips, trying to get more.

Ardyn slid a finger into him along with his tongue, and Noct squirmed, trying not to make even more embarrassing sounds, but it was a losing battle, especially when Ardyn pressed against something inside him that made all his nerves sing, crooking his finger and rubbing against the spot until Noct was gasping and desperate, needing to come.

He wrapped a hand around his cock as Ardyn eased a second finger into him, the feel of it strange but good, and he was coming even as Ardyn pressed yet another finger into him.

Noct was still too sensitive when Ardyn took his fingers out, replacing them with his cock, easy now that Noct was so relaxed, feeling like he was open for it, pleasure that edged closer to pain, and it was too soon to get hard again, but his cock twitched like it wanted to. Noct felt around until he'd gotten a fistful of Ardyn's coat, pulling him up for more kisses, and Ardyn obliged him, fucking him slowly as Noct rocked against him, wishing he could stay in this moment forever.

Noct shivered when he felt Ardyn come, the sensation odd but not entirely unpleasant.

He was half-asleep already, warm and satisfied, curling into it as Ardyn wrapped his coat around Noct's shoulders, pulling the blanket up as well after he'd cleaned them up, Noct tucked against him, the edges of Ardyn's coat whispering over his thighs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dreamingcicadas: yes LOOK AT NOCT'S APARTMENT  
> dreamingcicadas: TRASH  
> dreamingcicadas: TRASH TRASH TRASH  
> dreamingcicadas: THIS IS WHY ARDYN TURNS YOU ON NOCT  
> dreamingcicadas: YOURE INTO _TRASH_


	6. Three Wishes

Noct crept silently through the halls of the Leville, ducking around corners as he made his way back to the room he shared with the others as quickly as he could. It'd still been dark when he'd woken up, confused for a second as he tried to roll over and couldn't, tangled up in blankets and limbs that weren't his own. "Wha—" Noct mumbled, then realization hit him like a cold shock of water. He grabbed wildly around for his phone to see that he had a dozen missed calls from the guys, and that it was almost 7 in the morning.

Light was just breaking over the horizon now, and Noct prayed to the Six that everyone was still asleep.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he made it to the door without running into anyone that recognized him, only to be met with three different looks at varying levels of accusatory worry when he opened it. "Shit," Noct muttered under his breath. 

-

Prompto was the first to speak up. "What happened to your shirt, Noct?"

Noct sighed, self-consciously tugging his jacket tighter around himself, Ardyn's scarf still hanging on his neck, though it was a scant substitute for the absence of his shirt. "I lost it," he answered, silently cursing Ardyn for having used it the previous evening to clean them up. He'd brought everything else, but he hadn't thought to include a towel with his basket of treats?

"You...lost it?" Gladio asked, in a tone brimming with disbelief.

"I was with a friend," Noct said, fishing quickly for a story that didn't sound completely ludicrous. "We ran into some daemons, and...they tore up my shirt," he finished lamely.

It appeared to be Ignis' turn for the third degree. "You were with a 'friend' in a locale where daemons were liable to attack?" 

Noct stomped over to a chair, flopping down on it with a wince as certain parts of his anatomy twinged unpleasantly. " _Fine,_ " he said, hiding his face in his hands as he admitted. "I was on a date. Can we move along now." 

Prompto whistled. "That must've been _some_ date if you're just getting back now." Then, as if the thought had just struck him, "but what about Princess Lunafreya?" 

Ignis interrupted before Noct could respond. "Is this individual the source of your sudden recovery?"

"Yes," Noct answered, rubbing his hands over his face. He knew that returning to Lestallum every night wasn't a long-term solution, especially if kissing Ardyn provided only a temporary respite from the effects of the curse. "And I'm not sure. For now, we've both agreed to see where this goes."

"You seem to have it handled," Gladio said, getting up and stretching as he asked, "what's on the agenda for today?"

Noct gave him a deeply grateful look, getting the list from the table. "There're a few more hunts I thought we could take care of while we're in the area, and one of them's near the spot the professor asked us to check for frogs..."

-

Of course, having a game plan was only half the battle, and Noct swore as the coeurl knocked him down for the third time, swiping at his throat while Noct barely got a sword up in time to block, and he could see that Ignis and Prompto were in bad shape too. 

They'd run out of potions after taking out a group of daemons earlier, and the coeurls had ambushed them on their way back to an outpost.

There were only two of them, but the coeurls moved _fast_ , dashing in and striking hard, letting out bursts of static electricity that made all of Noct's muscles seize up. _They_ 'd barely even made a mark on any of the beasts in return. If they couldn't come up with something soon, this was going to get ugly. 

The other coeurl hit him from behind, slamming Noct onto the ground again, and suddenly he saw red. 

He switched from his sword to short daggers, slicing a line deep into the coeurl's side as it tried to gouge its claws into him, and Noct followed up warping after it, the pain of it clawing at him a distant memory as he thought only of tearing its throat out, the daggers a mere extension of his hands, tipped with steel. He hacked at it relentlessly, warping to where it _would_ be, cutting off its escape and slamming the daggers into its neck at last, tearing the flesh open. He barely even felt the resulting spray of ichor on his face as it gasped its last breaths, collapsing motionless to the ground. 

Noct immediately warped for the next one when it blurred past at the edge of his vision, and now that he knew how they moved, it was easy to land on its back, sinking the daggers into the nape of its neck and twisting, stabbing them in again as it tried weakly to throw him off.

He didn't realize it was already dead until Prompto was shouting at him, "Noct! Hey, Noct! You okay?"

Noct shook his head, getting slowly to his feet and off the coeurl that lay unmoving beneath him. He didn't seem to want to let go of the daggers, and there was something wrong with his vision, like things were moving around him in slow motion, battle-adrenaline making his heart beat too fast.

"You'll feel better once we get to a hot shower," Gladio assured him, clapping him on the back, and Noct only just managed to swallow down the sudden urge to snarl and bare his teeth at him.

-

He did _not_ feel better after a shower, an itch under his skin that made him tense up and shift into a battle stance at any slight provocation, wanting to draw his weapons. Noct waved him off when Prompto asked if he wanted to grab a bite to eat, not quite up to being around crowds of chattering people milling all around him.

He drew in a sharp breath when he glanced in the mirror on his way out of the bathroom. "The _fuck_?"

His cheek hadn't hurt in ages, and he hadn't given it any thought, but there were black lines spiderwebbing out from where the daemon had originally cut him, a mess of them that reached up to his eye—his eye which was _yellow_ , the scelera around it solid black. Noct closed it, a sick feeling beginning in the pit of his stomach when that fixed his vision, and he ran from the bathroom hoping to catch one of the guys before they left.

"Iggy!" Noct called, just before the door closed, and Ignis came back in giving Noct a questioning look. 

"Can you—what does—" Noct scrambled for something that didn't sound crazy, because none of the guys had mentioned half his face looking like a _daemon's_ , and he didn't know what that meant, but it couldn't be anything good. "Does my face look weird to you?" Noct finally blurted out.

Ignis clearly took it seriously, reaching up to hold Noct's face in his hands, inspecting it carefully, but, "not that I can see," he said, and Noct wanted to _scream,_ because what the hell was going on?

He was too busy thinking of possible explanations, whether to tell Ignis what he saw when he looked in the mirror and ask for his opinion no matter how insane it sounded, that Noct didn't realize until after a minute had passed that Ignis hadn't removed his hands, was still staring at him intently. 

"Noct," Ignis asked, almost cautiously. "Was this merely a pretext to get me alone?"

"What?" Noct said, completely blindsided when Ignis then kissed him, backing him against the wall, and Noct was too shocked to do anything but let it happen as Ignis poured all the passion he hadn't had that day they'd been trying to break the curse into the kiss now, closing his hand on the scarf Noct still had around his neck. 

Noct shoved him away as soon as soon as rational thought returned to him, Ignis looking flushed and slightly disheveled as he sat back on the bed, and Noct didn't even want to think about he himself looked.

"I'm not sure what's going on here," Noct said, taking careful steps that were out of range of Ignis grabbing him again, just in case. He snatched up his jacket and made for the door, keeping his back to it and his eyes on Ignis, who was still watching him with a look of intense concentration. "I'm—I need some air," Noct said when he finally reached his objective, and bolted from the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dreamingcicadas: "well I got a good fucking guys"  
> dreamingcicadas: "look guys it was super hard to walk "  
> dreamingcicadas: "be proud I climbed a fucking 4 story building to not _alert you_ "


	7. castles in the sky

It felt almost like he was wandering through a dream, sounds echoing too-loudly, lights that flared bright in his vision, and Noct kept to ill-used side streets, trying to get a handle on himself. He gripped the side of a building hard, dust and pieces of stone flaking off in his hand, and there was just so much _noise_ all around him, people talking fifty feet away like they were right beside him.

Noct stumbled into a small alcove, taking deep breaths as he focused on calming down, pushing everything else away.

It'd gotten dark a while ago, but he could still see fine, and there was something fucked up about that.

"Hey kid," some guy with a bottle of beer in his hand called out. "You looking for a good time?"

"Yeah sure," Noct said, even though that wasn't what he'd been thinking, _fuck,_ he didn't want to deal with this right now. He thought about warping away, the guy was probably too boozed up to realize it wasn't just some sort of drunken hallucination, but then he was getting kissed up against a wall again for the second time that night by someone he had no interest in, and Noct kneed the guy directly in the gut, snarling at him for good measure.

The guy gave him a look that was filled with terror, almost bashing his head into the wall opposite them in his haste to get away.

 _Good,_ Noct thought savagely.

-

He just felt _off_ , but he couldn't pinpoint how, exactly. It wasn't like getting sick, feeling sore all over, every inch of him weighed down with stones, or even like the time when he was younger, recovering from the attack by the daemon that had almost killed him. 

It was more like the feeling of something else under his skin, senses he'd never had before.

Noct leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes as he wondered what was up with Ignis—of all of them, he was the least likely to play a practical joke, or make light of a serious situation. Maybe it was something in the water, Noct thought with a huff, the same thing that was making him see things that weren't actually there.

He blinked his eyes open when he heard laughter down the street, getting closer.

He was about to warp away before anything could happen this time, but it was only a girl and her boyfriend, hand in hand as they walked up the lane, eyes only for each other.

Noct had actually thought he was in the clear when the girl suddenly turned around and shouted out, "wanna join us, cutie?" with a cheeky grin, waving her other arm at him. Her boyfriend gave Noct a shy smile, but it was clearly welcoming, and Noct stared, wondering if there really _was_ something in the water at Lestallum.

"I um—" Noct spluttered out, and then he threw caution to the wind and warped away, relying on the darkness to cover his escape.

-

Noct considered heading back to the Leville where he would be safe from harassment by random strangers on the street, but he didn't quite feel like going to sleep yet. He wanted to stay outside a while longer, he wanted—

"You alone, handsome?" someone asked from behind him, and Noct turned around with a heavy sigh of exasperation, starting to wonder if everyone in the city was actually suffering from some kind of mass hysteria.

"Oh," Noct said, when he saw it was just Prompto. 

Prompto laughed, covering his mouth. "The look on your face, man!" 

"Shut up," Noct muttered, turning back to lean his arms over the stone wall of the overlook, ignoring Prompto entirely.

Prompto nudged him on the shoulder, sitting on the ledge next to him. "Nice night, yeah?"

Noct shrugged. "Nice enough."

"You sure you're okay, Noct? You can talk to me about anything, you know." Prompto gave him the kind of smile that Noct had always found like a breath of fresh air in an ocean that was drowning him, open and honest, with no strings attached. Prompto was the kind of person that couldn't lie to save his life. 

"I'm fine," Noct said, even though it wasn't true. He _wanted_ it to be true, wasn't that enough? 

"Right, of course," Prompto agreed, clearly letting Noct know that he didn't believe it for a second, but was giving him his space, and Noct just wanted something uncomplicated for a brief moment, it didn't have to mean any more than that. 

He turned to face Prompto fully, and Prompto was already halfway there, meeting him when Noct leaned in the rest of the way.

The kiss was soft, sweet without anything behind it, and Noct sighed into Prompto's mouth, resting a hand on his hip as they moved to trade kisses back and forth, Noct raising his other hand to tickle gently over Prompto's ribs so Prompto squirmed and laughed into it, and when they pulled away, nothing earth-shattering had changed. 

"Guess we should turn in," Prompto said, yawning as he hopped off the ledge and stretched his arms up over his head.

"I'm right behind you," Noct told him, but Prompto only shook his head, tossing a wave over his shoulder. 

"Whatever, Noct! We both know you're just going to nap in the car!"

-

Noct didn't know how it had happened, staring at the scene before him in shock. He _had_ been heading back, trailing Prompto at his own leisurely pace, and someone had grabbed him, forceful in a way that set all of Noct's nerves on edge, and he hadn't thought, just reacted. 

They now lay gasping on the floor, bleeding from deep gashes that went all the way down their chest, slivers of pale bone visible.

"This...isn't happening," Noct said to himself. 

But his instincts weren't screaming at him to _help_ , they were screaming at him to finish it, to rip the guy open, tear him to pieces.

Noct looked away from the person before the urges overwhelmed him, and down at his arm, the mapwork of black veins that coalesced into a solid darkness at his wrist, ending in wickedly sharp claws that were still dripping blood. It was making him sick, because he wanted to—he was _so_ hungry, he—

Noct closed his eyes, breathing through his mouth so he wouldn't have to smell it, repeating to himself like a mantra that this wasn't happening, this wasn't real.

He stumbled forward, away from the body, and he retraced his steps to the Leville, repeating the words to himself the whole way.

By the time he made it back to their room, opening his eyes again, his hand was back to normal, nothing to indicate that he'd almost murdered a man except for the blood that was still coating his fingers like a grotesque second skin. Noct stuck them in his mouth before he'd even thought about it, sucking the blood off, and then that was gone too, no evidence left at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nickofhearts: I'M SORRY NOCT BUT NOT REALLY  
> nickofhearts: IF YOU WERE ONLY A BIT LESS LIABLE TO BELIEVE EVERYTHING ARDYN TELLS YOU YOU WOULDN'T BE IN THIS POSITION  
> dreamingcicadas: NOCT YOURE A FUCKING IDIOT  
> nickofhearts: LMAO I WAS TRYING TO BE NICE BUT YES  
> nickofhearts: THAT IS THE CONCLUSION HERE  
> dreamingcicadas: THIS IS THE LOGICAL STEP WE MUST TAKE  
> dreamingcicadas: FOR NOCT TO GROW, HE MUST ACCEPT HIS FLAWS


	8. Lies and Untruths

Noct woke up feeling even worse than when he'd gone to sleep, an aching hunger that gnawed at him from the inside, like the taste he'd gotten a few hours ago had only made him realize how much he wanted it. He got listlessly out of bed, not even bothering to look in the mirror when he washed his face. 

He knew what he would see.

-

The daemons they were hunting were barely worth his time, small skittering things—Noct could crush them in a single hand if he wanted to, he didn't even need his swords for this.

He was just—he needed to _eat_ , and Noct had torn a chunk of meat out of one of them as it writhed and screamed in his grasp, putting it in his mouth and swallowing before he could stop himself. It wasn't enough, but it was so _good,_ just what he wanted, and Noct had torn another chunk off, then another.

"What the _fuck_ , Noct," Gladio said, staring at him in shock.

"What?" Noct asked, smiling at Gladio like nothing was wrong, and Gladio's eyes glazed over like he believed it.

-

He felt so much better after, even though it still wasn't enough. He wanted—

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me with the tent?" Gladio called out, and Noct trotted obligingly over to lend a hand.

Gladio gave him a surprised look when Noct carried all the camping equipment over to the site, but it felt like barely anything, he could carry ten times more than this. He smiled at Gladio again, and Gladio looked at him like he was about to—but then he shook his head, turning his attention back to the tent.

Noct shrugged, holding the poles for him as Gladio put the stakes in the ground.

-

Ignis had made his favourite for dinner, a grilled barramundi they'd picked up earlier at a local market. They'd hadn't had enough time lately to fish, but Noct found he didn't miss it. The fish tasted like sand in his mouth, no _life_ in it, nothing like the daemons from earlier.

"It's good," Noct told Ignis anyway, smiling, and Ignis paused, something like a blush on his face as he took Noct's empty plate.

-

Noct sat at the edge of the glowing rock face, dangling his feet over the side. He could feel the heat of the fire energy from the elemental vein almost directly underneath like it was calling to him, and Noct wanted to draw it into him even though all his flasks were full.

"Hey Noct," Prompto said, flopping down next to him. "Gil for your thoughts?"

Noct turned to him, leaning closer, and Prompto had his eyes closed, mouth parted in anticipation. Noct scrambled suddenly back, heart pounding, because he hadn't been about to kiss Prompto, he'd been about to—Noct put a hand to his mouth, feeling too-sharp teeth.

"I—" Noct said, all the contentment he'd been feeling evaporating in a single instant. "I have to go."

"Okay," Prompto said, smiling at him, like there was nothing wrong with that.

-

Noct ran until he couldn't anymore, and it was so much further than he'd been able to sprint just a few days go. He was far enough from the campsite that he couldn't even see the smoke from the fire.

Something was terribly wrong with him, had been wrong for awhile, but he'd been too proud to admit it. 

_"Fuck,"_ Noct swore, tugging at the scarf around his neck in consternation.

He didn't know what to do. The guys obviously couldn't help him, and he'd almost _eaten_ Prompto—he had the sick feeling that Prompto would've happily let him, whatever power that made them blind to the infection on his face also the reason behind the sudden interest everyone had in him, making them easy prey.

Noct kicked viciously at a rock on the ground, and continued walking, further away from the campsite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dreamingcicadas: OH NOOOOO  
> dreamingcicadas: NOCT I AM SO SORRY  
> nickofhearts: OMG WHY AM I ALWAYS THE VILLAIN  
> nickofhearts: YOU EGG ME ON AND THEN YOU VILIFY ME  
> nickofhearts: _YOU ARE MY IZUNIA_


	9. love you like a love song

He hadn't _meant_ to, but was that the truth? Noct couldn't tell anymore.

The bodies on the floor were mutilated beyond the point of recognition, and Noct was still eating, putting bloody pieces of flesh in his mouth that tasted better than anything Ignis had ever cooked for him. He couldn't stop himself, he didn't _want_ to.

Noct shuddered, licking at smears of blood on his palm, trying to swallow every last drop.

-

"There you are, Noct," Ardyn said, walking in the door of the house whose inhabitants Noct had butchered like this was perfectly normal. "You _have_ been enjoying yourself."

Ardyn's face kept flickering, between how it usually looked and something else, something _wrong_.

Noct snarled at him, hackles rising, but Ardyn only laughed. 

_"Come here,_ " he said, and Noct found himself obeying even though he didn't want to, he didn't want to be anywhere near Ardyn now. "How very fortunate for _me_ to have found you in such a state," Ardyn was saying, and Noct suddenly understood that he didn't mean right now, amidst the bloody destruction of bodies; he meant before, when Noct had been desperate for someone to help him.

"Get _away_ from me," Noct demanded, but Ardyn didn't move an inch.

"Oh _Noct,"_ he said, as if there was nothing more amusing in all the world. "Have I not been kind, offered you comfort, respite from all your ailments?" Ardyn smiled at him, and there was something terrible in it that had nothing to do with the face that Noct could see now. "I can be _kinder still."_

Noct shook his head, wanting _away_ , but he couldn't make himself move. Whatever Ardyn was offering, it wasn't what he said it was.

"I only desire to help you, Noct," Ardyn said, reaching for him, and Noct didn't have to be under a curse to know that it wasn't true.

 _"No,"_ Noct growled, though that didn't stop Ardyn from touching him.

He stroked a hand down the side of Noct's face, lingering over his cheek, and Noct felt all his concerns just slide away, thoughts trickling like water through his fingers. "We'll just take care of your— _friends_ , shall we, and then we can go on, 'happily ever after'?" He smiled at Noct again, wide with sharp teeth. "Doesn't that sound good?"

"Yes," Noct said, empty at last. "That sounds good," closing his eyes as Ardyn kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dreamingcicadas: ardyn is so fucking smooth I'm pretty sure he could do ANYTHING to noct, and noct would be like "ok"  
> nickofhearts: THAT'S A FAIR ASSESSMENT


End file.
